20th-Century Political Upheavals: Monarchies, Republics, and Conflicts
The Reign of Elizabeth II
Governments and Challenges
Governments alternated between moderate and progressive ideologies across three distinct periods:
- Moderate Decade (1844-1856): Led by Espartero. This period saw a new disentailment with the Madoz Law and ministerial alternation between moderates and the Liberal Union.
The Elizabethan monarchy faced numerous challenges:
- Increasing intervention of the army
- Emergence of new political groups
- Carlist Civil War
- Public discontent against the electoral farce
Spanish History: From Napoleonic Wars to the Second Republic
War with France (1808-1814)
Charles IV of Spain opposed the ideas of the French Revolution and lost the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Ferdinand VII incited the Mutiny of Aranjuez, leading to his father’s abdication. Napoleon pressured the Spanish royal family to abdicate and installed his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as king. On May 2, 1808, attacks on French soldiers began the Peninsular War. The Spanish people were divided into two factions: those who supported the French (afrancesados) and those who
Read More20th Century Europe and Spain: A Historical Overview
TEMA 8: Stalinism and the Interwar Period (1920s-1930s)
The Soviet Union
Stalinism (1920s)
The second phase of the Russian Revolution began in the 1920s with the rise of Joseph Stalin. Key aspects of this period include:
- Kolkhoz: Collective farm co-operatives.
- Sovkhoz: State farms employing farmers.
- Intelligentsia: A new social category of professionals who held high positions within the Communist Party.
The Weimar Republic (1919-1933)
The Weimar Republic was the German political regime established after
Read MoreCatalan Political Articulation During the Bourbon Restoration
Key Events and Movements
Memorial de Greuges (1883)
Manifesto launched by Valentà Almirall during the Second Catalanist Congress (1883). It reflected the discomfort of Catalanist ideologues towards Spanish dynastic parties, free trade policies, and the intention of Spain to suppress Catalan culture and language. It was delivered to King Alfonso XII in 1885, which led to tensions with Spanish politics.
Tancament de Caixes (1898)
Protest movement of Catalan traders and manufacturers who refused to pay
Read MoreThe Spanish Transition to Democracy: A Historical Overview
The Spanish Transition to Democracy
The End of Franco’s Regime
The Franco regime was already in crisis in 1973, but the transition to democracy only became possible after his death in late 1975. This transition was unique, achieved with relatively low political and social costs. Unlike other countries, Spain did not experience military intervention or war, although the conditions were present. Despite challenges like terrorism, nationalism, and the lingering memory of the Civil War, the transition
Read MoreSpain’s Political and Social Evolution
Voters
Who elects the government?
The Congress of Deputies and the Senate are elected by voters. The Cortes Generales, regional governments, central government, President, Council of Ministers, the Supreme Court, and ordinary courts are indirectly elected.
First Government: UCD
Early Years (1970s)
The early years were marked by a policy of consensus. Reforms were undertaken through agreements between different political forces.
Urgent Measures:
- Drafting a new constitution.
- Addressing the economic crisis